Disappearing Act
by DarkRaven18
Summary: Michelangelo disappears! Donatello’s using big words! And Splinter isn’t ready for his sons to learn this particular skill yet… chibi turtles


Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT

_My first try at writing chibi turtles! Hope you enjoy :)_

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Splinter felt himself being dragged from sleep; a pair of small hands pushed and pulled at his arm and a voice called urgently, forcing him back to the waking world. When he opened his eyes he was greeted with a pair of large brown ones framed by purple cloth.

"Dad, wake up! Dad!"

"What is wrong, Donatello? Did you have a nightmare?"

Splinter began to make room for the small turtle to crawl in beside him, as his sons often did after having a bad dream, but Donatello's hands clamped tightly on his furry arm pulling him back.

"No! It's Mikey! He's gone!"

Splinter was up in a flash, grabbing his robe and throwing it on as he followed Donatello to the room he shared with his brothers.

"What happened?" Splinter asked urgently, "Did you or your brothers hear Michelangelo leave?"

"He didn't leave!" Don explained in a huff running into the room and pointing, "He disappeared!"

Splinter skidded to a halt, staring at the object in the middle of the room.

"I-i-it's m-my fault!"

A blur of red shot towards him and suddenly Raphael was clinging to his leg sobbing. Don watched his father anxiously and Leonardo, who had one foot in the air above the object, quickly moved away, staring wide-eyed at Splinter.

Splinter blinked. In the middle of the room was the familiar shell of his youngest son and yet, his son was no where to be seen! Tearing his gaze from the shell, Splinter gently placed a hand on top of Raph's head and began to stroke it. He was pretty sure the death grip Raphael had on his leg was starting to cut off his circulation…

"Shh, Raphael. It will be alright. How is this your fault?"

"I-I," Raph turned his face upwards, his eyes large and glassy.

"I couldn't sleep and D-Donnie was w-w-whispering to Leo s-so I knew theys were up, and I n-noticed M-M-M-Mikey!" Raph's sobbing grew louder and Splinter gently pried his son's hands off his leg and knelt, drawing Raph to his chest.

"What about Michelangelo?"

"H-He was still sleepin'," Raph sniffed, slowly calming down as he buried his face against Splinter's chest, muffling his voice, "so I wanted to play a j-joke on him like he does to us…so I went over and tried to s-scare him and he yelled and he…then he disappeared!"

"What do you mean disappeared?" Splinter asked patiently.

"One minute I was shaking his arm, the next it was gone!"

Splinter sighed, giving his son a strong hug and patting his shell before standing. Leo and Don were close together, staring at the shell on the floor in fear. Realizing his eldest son had not yet spoken, Splinter placed a hand on Leonardo's shoulder.

"Leonardo? Are you alright?"

His usually calm son nodded but Splinter could tell he was on the verge of tears. When Leo glanced up at him, Splinter could see his lower lip wibbling dangerously.

"Father, is….is Mikey dead?"

The room turned deathly quiet. Splinter was fairly sure Donatello was holding his breath and even Raphael stopped sniffling. Splinter sighed, shaking his head. He eyed the silent shell.

"No, my son, Michelangelo is fine. I will explain it in a moment. It will seem…complicated."

Walking to the shell, Splinter knelt beside it, turning it until the opening where Mikey's head would have been was facing him.

"I can explain, Dad, if you want."

Splinter looked up at Don in surprise.

"You realize what happened, my son?"

Don nodded.

"Yea, its called spon…spont," Don's beak wrinkled as he tried to form the word, "spontananenous combobsion!"

Raph and Leo gasped in awe.

"Whas…whas that?" Leo asked in a whisper, not wanting to pronounce the scary words his brother had spoken. Splinter held in a chuckle and returned his full attention to Michelangelo. His sons were always in awe when Donatello used big words they didn't understand and whenever Don used the wrong words for a situation he never listened when Splinter corrected him. Donatello thought he was always right and so arguing with him now would be pointless.

"Well," Don began, drawing himself up as tall as he could, "is when someone's there one minute and then….POP! Theys gone!"

"Oooohhhh," Raph and Leo replied in unison

Splinter peered into the dark hole where his youngest son should have been and smiled. He could just make out a pair of wide frightened eyes.

"Meep!"

Splinter jumped, surprised by the sound. Then he eyed his other sons.

"Did you not look inside, my sons?"

The three small turtles shook their heads.

"Nuh uh. What if it was all icky inside?" Leo asked.

"Did you not notice strange noises coming from it?"

The three brothers exchanged secret looks.

"Well…" Don began slowly, "it made a noise when I knocked on it…"

"And when I pushed it," Leo added, looking away in embarrassment.

"And when I….kicked it," Raph mumbled, staring at the floor.

Splinter shook his head. That explained what Leonardo was doing when he entered…

"The noises you heard, my sons, were Michelangelo trying to talk! He is stuck inside his own shell."

Three pairs of eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.

"What? What about spont—the other thing?"

"No way! How?"

"Cool!"

Splinter bent down again, peering into the opening.

"Michelangelo, it is alright, I am here. You must relax. You drew yourself inside because you were frightened. It is a natural reaction. You must relax to draw yourself out. Take deep calming breaths, as I have taught you in meditation…"

The pair of eyes closed and Splinter stood. After a few minutes of waiting, a foot began to emerge from one opening, causing his other sons to cry out and huddle close at his knees. Soon, more of Michelangelo emerged and his head came out with a pop. He drew himself onto his knees with a gasp, staring at his brothers.

"Mikey!" Raph squealed, running forward to gather his brother in a suffocating hug.

"I'm sorry, Mikey, I'll never scare you again!"

"T-thanks," Mikey answered shakily.

"Come, my sons, I will explain."

Splinter sat his sons before him and explained how they all had the ability to hide within their shells. He explained how it was natural for turtles to have this ability and that they mainly did it to protect themselves.

"All you have to do is relax, concentrate and practice, and you will be able to control this reaction," he finished.

His sons glanced at each other in wonder and then Mikey grinned.

"Awsom', dudes…" he proclaimed, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

Then Don was shifting into a meditation pose, squeezing his eyes shut and breathing deeply.

"Donatello, it is late. You can attempt this another--"

But Splinter was cut off by surprised gasps as Don's head disappeared into his shell.

"Fantastic!" An echoing voice sounding oddly like Donatello stated.

Before Splinter could say another word Leo and Raph were concentrating as well and arms and heads were disappearing and reappearing around the room.

Splinter shook his head as he left the room, closing the door behind him to block out the happy giggles and shouts of his sons. Though he had known this time would come, he also knew he was not prepared for the many things his sons would now do with their newfound skill….


End file.
